Adulthood
by ashnotketchum
Summary: Officially a "woman" and struggling to comprehend the meaning of the word, Ellie learns the differences between her old life and her new one. Adulthood has a lot in store for her. Post-game.
1. Prologue

As much as it pained her to admit it, Ellie was "officially" a woman. Honestly, though, she was always a woman. When Ellie's opportunity for innocence, a childhood, a family life was stripped from her, THAT'S when she truly became a "woman." That's when she decided that she was going to be her own guardian and take care of herself. And not in the "pay-the-bills" or "I'll-grab-the-kids-you-buy-groceries" type of guardian. She was going to look out for herself when no-one else could. She decided this many years before she met Joel or even had to go through the obnoxious cycle of menstruation.

So it happened last night. She awoke in her bed, her abdomen aching like the fading remnant of a stab wound. The warm wetness of a liquid seeped through her shorts, causing her to panic. _Pain, blood... Oh, my God. Did someone stab me?_ Ellie struggled to maintain her composure. Her anxiety spiked, and her hands scoured every inch of her body in search of the bleeding's source. She was about to lose it when...

... Suddenly, a thought struck her like a lightning bolt and she almost smacked herself.

She shifted upright, turning on the bedside lamp. She compressed her thighs together, each leg hugging the other, as she waddled to the door that led out her room. Her neck craned left and right, keeping watch for anyone who might pass her by. When she deemed the coast clear, she exited the doorway and headed left down the hallway.

Tommy's Town consisted of townhouses, apartments, and a few slightly habitable houses. Everyone who worked at the power facility and guarded the town slept in this one level townhouse. Strewn along the hallway were three other doors on each side. She heard a few voices coming from one of the rooms that dotted the hallway, most likely Tommy and his boys up late with a game of cards. In his town, he always managed to pass time somehow, and nighttime didn't hinder that practice.

She reached the door, and knocked a couple times just to make sure no-one was in it. With a heavy sigh, she entered, and plopped herself down on the toilet, her head in her hands and her elbows on her thighs.

_Why now? Why couldn't it be during the morning so I could get some proper fucking sleep?_

Ellie used the toilet paper sparingly because A) she lived in a post-apocalyptic dystopia where toilet paper was a rare luxury and B) everyone would be pissed off if she clogged the toilet with copious amounts of wasted toilet paper and C) everyone would also be pissed off if she used up the last roll.

After cleaning herself off thoroughly, she scavenged through the room in search of any sanitary products. Maria had mentioned once that they kept a few tampons in each bathroom, but Ellie was at a loss and unable to find anything. She groaned, her face growing hotter by the second. Not only did she ruin her favourite pair of sleeping shorts, but she also had to spend the night using toilet paper in place of a pad.  
Resigned and too tired to continue looking, she washed and hung up her shorts and sat on the toilet until they were at least semi-dry. That took a good hour, she found. Luckily no-one came to the restroom to bother her while she waited. With her pants uncomfortably damp and her night officially ruined, she stuffed toilet paper down her pants and absconded to her room.

_This is just fucking perfect_, she said, inwardly sighing._ Now I have to tell Joel._

* * *

"Hey, Ellie," came that deep, familiar voice.

The teen stirred in her wake, her lower regions feeling sticky. She heaved a sigh, displeased that the first thing she had to wake up to was Mother Nature's gift. It took great effort to lift her heavy lids, and her eyes fixed onto Joel's figure at the doorway.

"Good; you're awake." He stepped in, unlinking his just-crossed arms. "Tommy needs you on the morning shift down by the river."

With a nod in response, Ellie sat up on the edge of her bed, her hair a mop of tangles. She rubbed her eyes, her head hanging over her lower half. Joel seemed to notice her lack of energy. It may have been a morning, but Ellie wasn't very slow at that time of day.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, his face's usual sterness masked with an opaque concern.

She nodded. She always dreaded this conversation, but she knew it had to come. "I..." she tried to begin, but words failed to spring into her mind at that moment. "I'm bleeding. Perioding. Fuck, I don't know how to put it." She looked up at him, and could see as his face contorted into one of genuine terror._ Oh how he's dreaded this day_, she mused. _Just like I did._

"Oh, I- uh..." Joel never tripped over words like this, it was a hilarious sight for her. "All right. I'll talk to Maria and the others, then. The other women, I mean. I can... I can ask about what to get you." His southern drawl seemed to thicken whenever he was nervous, which was pretty uncommon.

Ellie nodded thanks, and went back to holding her aching head in her hands. As if bleeding out of her hoo-ha wasn't enough, she also had to be burdened with constant headaches and cramps.

She groaned again, this time being much more audible.

Joel shifted uncomfortably. He hated seeing her in pain, but this time there wasn't anything he could do to help. And honestly, he didn't want to be involved in this aspect of her life. He'll leave it to the others. He tapped the doorway, catching Ellie's attention.

"Do you wanna skip today's shift? I can tell Tommy you're not feeling your best."

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Tell Maria to get me something to fucking stop this bleeding and I'll go do my duties."

He left a second later, and Ellie fell back into her bed, her face blood-red.

Nothing was scarier than telling that man that she was officially a woman, becauseapparentlymenstruationconstituteswomanhood.

She scoffed at that notion.

After a few minutes wasted staring at the ceiling and thinking about food, she got up and went to the bathroom for round 2 of Ellie vs. Mother Nature.

* * *

The day went by rather smoothly after Joel got her what she needed. He gave her a box of tampons while astonishingly managing to not look at her once during the trade. She didn't blame him, though. Menstruation creeped her out and she thought it was disgusting. She only wished Joel didn't have to get pulled into this whole ordeal.

An hour later and she was clean, covered, and ready to guard the river bank that skirted along the southern border of Tommy's Town.  
Usually this was a quiet patrol, as Joel would never allow Tommy to put Ellie in a dangerous area. However, today Ellie noticed some clicker activity beyond the river and in the forest across it. There was a small pack, maybe 6 or 7, and they seemed to be heading for the river. Ellie noticed that infected don't eat or drink, with the exception of their prey, so why they were coming her way baffled her.

Tommy instructed her to call in for help if she saw more than 4 runners or 2 clickers or one bloater. That was the rule: More than 4 runners, or 2 clickers, or one bloater and you were required to get help. However, Ellie was confident that she could handle these guys. They were distracted by the sound of the rushing water, giving her a great advantage over them. She produced a bow from her backpack's holster, and drew an arrow back, aiming at the nearest clicker. Inhaling, she steadied her aim, and released the arrow. It cut through the air, sliding straight through the clicker's gaping mouth, killing it instantly.

6 more left.

She repeated the process, a couple of the others taking two or more arrows, but most only needing the one. She was left with 2 high-alert clickers. One ventured into the river, slowing itself down and giving Ellie the opportunity to take it out before it could reach her. The last clicker was using its echolocation abilities to maneuver around the river, jumping on stones and logs until it was able to flank Ellie while she was unaware.

She didn't realise that it was there beside her until she heard its heavy steps. She turned and the moment she saw it it attacked. Her arm was pushing back at its throat while she grabbed a shiv from her bag. It managed to take a small scrape of flesh from her neck before she could lodge the shiv where its eye socket would be if it still had eyes. It released a deafening screech, unfortunately alerting a few nearby stragglers of infected.

While it was recoiling in pain, Ellie scrambled to her feet and leaped onto the clicker's back, shoving the small blade into its neck multiple times until it fell dead.

When she got back up, the young brunette noticed as three runners emerged from the forest, as well as a clicker and a...

_Oh fuck..._

She knelt down, shuffling through her bag as she tried to locate her walkie talkie. She flipped it on, gasping for air and grasping her neck as the blood continued to pour from it.

"I've got..." she panted, "... three runners..." Another pant. "... one clicker, and a bloater." She paused to catch her breath, but she didn't allow herself to pause for long as the runners were making their way to the river already. "I'm at the southern patrol, by the river, send help..."

She released the device, and let her hand fall to her side. She spent the next few seconds catching her breath, her eyes frantically scoping the runners cutting through the river. Her heart was sinking. The last time she was this afraid was when David was chasing her through the bar last winter.

She exhaled, her jagged breath catching in her throat. With her free hand grabbing for another shiv, she shakily rose up. Blood coursed along down the length of her forearm, but still she held onto her neck. For one extra moment, she closed her eyes again, and tried to relax.

_If only I would've taken Joel's offer and avoided this patrol..._

* * *

Joel's mind had been on Ellie for the entire day. Rather, her "womanhood" being acheived. It was impossible to scrape that idea from his mind. Knowing that she now was officially branded a matured female bothered him to no end. He was always used to her cussing and fighting with the vigor of ten adults, yet here she is: Ellie the Woman.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, his head lowered over the full tray of food below him. With Richard and Tommy at one side and Lily adjacent to him, Joel was in the middle of a social triangle.

"Right, so, that's what I told'er." Richard, a friend of Tommy's, was talking with his mouth full of corn. Joel grimaced at the sound of words slurred by the mashing of unswallowed food. "But still, she insisted I take care of the cattle."

"Bad move," Lily commented, a laugh hiding beneath her words. Richard shot her a sharp glance, the corner of his mouth quirking into an involuntary smile.

"Yeah. I know, I know. Animals hate me." He laughed into his cup of water, putting it down and wiping his upper lip with the back of his hand. "So, there I was, stuck with a herd of fifteen cattle, and-"

Joel suddenly stood. Richard was stopped in his tracks, staring up at the older man. Tommy and Lily joined in. Rubbing the back of his neck, Joel said, "I can't keep listening. Too much on my mind." Before they could say anything, Joel up and left.

He headed from the cafeteria to the stable, desperate for some air and a break from pointless conversation. Halfway there, he was stopped by one of the younger men in the town, Dylan.

"Joel, it's Ellie," Dylan could barely say.

"What's happened?" Dylan shrank under Joel's intense gaze.

"There's been an infected attack. We've already sent some men after her, but we don't-"

"Where is she?" Joel asked, the muscles in his jaw tensing.

"T-the southern patrol. N-near the river."

Joel pushed past him, racing to Ellie's station.

_Damn it, Ellie. You're always getting into trouble._

* * *

With one runner on her and another two in queue, Ellie was well-fucked. Her shiv broke on the first runner, and obviously it wasn't dead yet. The river was keeping the bloater at bay, but that didn't stop it from tossing its spore bombs her way. Each time one landed she was forced to kick the runners off of her and roll at least ten feet away. It was tiring to an already exhausted girl.

She wasn't going to make it, she knew it. Out of ammo and unarmed. Nothing was looking good at this point. And knowing that this patrol was rather far from the others meant that help wouldn't arrive soon enough. Ellie was saying her silent goodbyes, tears stinging in her reddened eyes.

The runner atop her was screeching, thrashing, and chomping at her. She evaded each blow, only to be attacked by the next runner beside her. Another spore ball hit them, and she struggled free from the onslaught, only to be tackled again. She kicked and kicked, managing to knock out one of the three vermin. With this victory came a loss, for only a second later she felt two rows of teeth sink into the flesh of her ankle. She let out a shrill cry, staggering the runner pinning her.

_This is it. I'm screwed. I won't be able to see Joel again. Fuck...fuck...Fuck-_

She heard a blast, then a gurgle. Another blast, and the weight on top of her was gone. Her eyes fixed onto the source of the blasts, and she saw a man. This face was new to her, probably new to town. He wore weathered features, his eyes sunken in and the irises a dull green. His hair fell to mid-neck in greasy, dark waves. He had scruff like Joel, and his eyes held almost the same sadness. She watched in awe as he took out the bloater in only half a minute. It took Joel and her almost 4 if they worked together.

With all the infected down, he turned and faced her, his gun sheathed behind him. Taking two strides, he walked to her side and knelt down. His eyes studied her. "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice deep and smokey. She nodded. He stole a glance at the bite mark on her ankle. Instantly his hand went for the pistol at his waist. "You're infected."

"No! No, I'm not!" she explained hurriedly, attempting to get up. "F-fuck!" She cringed, teeth grinding against teeth. Her wounds hurt like hell. "I'm not," she said again, looking up. They locked eyes for a few moments. It was terrifying for Ellie; he could kill her right now if he wanted to.

"I can take care of that," he offered, pointing to her still-bleeding neck.

Her brows lifted in surprise, but she didn't turn down the offer.

He pulled the bag from his back and onto his lap, searching through it for a moment before retrieving some gauze. He unraveled the spool and wrapped it tightly around her neck, but gently enough to not pain her. She jerked a few times, the gauze hitting her wound the wrong way. It only took a few seconds before her neck was covered. He moved south to work on her bite wound.

While he was fixing her up, she couldn't help but ask, "Do you believe me when I say I'm not infected?"

"No."

"Then why are you wasting your time and supplies on me if you think I'm going to die anyway?"

He only shrugged. "I don' want you to suffer for your final moments, I suppose."

She stiffened. That response took her completely off-guard.

When he was all done, he stood and slung the backpack over his shoulder. He turned to face the facility behind them. A group of three men came running toward them. When they arrived, they stood dumbfounded at the sight before them.

One of the men ran to Ellie, kneeling down at her side.

"Joel, I'm fine," she told him before he could say anything.

"No you aren't; you're covered in blood."

She groaned. "Ugh, c'mon man. I'm fine! Look at me! I'm fucking fine!" She gestured at her body. "Maybe a li'l bruised and battered, but I'm fine. Let's just fucking get away from here."

Joel shook his head, his brows knitting. It took him a second to acknowledge the stranger that was with Ellie. "Who are you?" he asked, nonchalant but cautious.

"Alexander," responded the other male. "Your girl here got bit twice."

"Did you do all of this?" asked one of the other two men standing there.

Alexander shook his head. "When I came, there were already 7 dead clickers and one knocked-out runner."

"Damn right, too!" Ellie interjected. "I did that. Joel, look at this shit. I fought off 7 clickers on my own." Joel offered her a half-smile, but it lasted only a short moment. He then turned back to Alexander.

"What are you doing here?" asked Joel.

Alexander bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm outrunnin' the virus. I have a small base not far North of here, but I was runnin' low on food." His gaze traveled to the town that belonged to Tommy. "I'm assuming you've got a few dozen families here."

"You're assumin' right," replied Joel.

Alexander admired the town for a few more seconds before bowing his head and exhaling. He turned to Ellie, and smiled. "It's nice meetin' you. You can truly hold your own." He nodded to the others and turned, walking opposite the way he came.

"Did he save you?" Joel asked Ellie, his eyes pointing to the departing man.

"Yeah. I was pinned and about to die, but then he came out of nowhere," she explained. Joel pursed his lips, letting out a low sigh. He looked over his shoulder to see that Alexander wasn't far off. Joel arose and paced toward him. He called out his name. When Alexander turned around, Joel caught up to him.

"You saved one of our own," Joel said. "You deserve something in return."

"All I want is food."

"Then we'll get you food."


	2. Fortress

Unlike the rest of the townspeople, Joel was typically disconnected from the hype of everyday life. While others talked of what spoils they caught during hunting, he would remain distant and watchful – over Ellie especially. Even with the job over with, Joel still kept on protecting the girl. She noticed how often he'd scan the crowd around her or move a seat closer whenever they ate at the same time. While some might find it a bit unnerving, she was thankful for the bond they now shared. He kept her safe, and she'd attempt to do the same.

So when Joel heard that Ellie almost died today, he was even more guarded than usual. Alexander was eating lunch in the cafeteria, Ellie across from him and pestering him with small talk. Joel was beside Ellie, examining the bloodied gauze that covered her neck. He balled his fingers into a tight fist, his teeth grinding. He blamed himself, no doubt. Every few seconds his view would move to Alexander, or perhaps the dense clouds forming outside the windows of the cafe.

"So, you live with your son?" Ellie's question reawakened Joel's attention. He listened in.

With a nod, "Alex" swallowed the food in his mouth before continuing. "Mhm," was the only response he gave her.

Ellie's eyes lit up with the hope of a possible friend. It was a disappointingly rare occurrence to meet someone her own age. She supported her head with both hands. "Can I meet him?" she asked. Alex wiped his mouth, washing down the meal with some whiskey he brought with him in a canteen. Those almost-dead green orbs fell to the table.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Why not?" Ellie persisted.

Alex only shook his head, getting to his feet. Everyone around him inched away, giving him room. Scattered across the table were cans of food and some fresh fruit – mostly apples. He gathered them together and fit them into his bag, which he then proceeded to swing over a shoulder. His gaze oscillated across the faces surrounding him. Ellie caught onto the pain in his eyes; something was upsetting him.

"Thank you for the food, I'm much obliged." He tipped his head to Joel and Ellie and a few of the others he managed to acquaint himself with in the short time they spent together.

"Are you leaving already?" inquired Dylan, stationed a few seats from Ellie.

"I don't wanna overstay my welcome," Alex responded. "Besides, it's getting dark. I have to get back to Jake." The pitch of his voice wavered as soon as he uttered his son's name. Ellie was catching on.

Joel was to his feet not a second later. "Allow me to join you, then. It's dangerous venturing throughout Jackson County on your own." Alexander did his best to reject the offer, but Joel wasn't taking "no" for an answer.

Ellie was the third to rise. "I'm coming-"

"No, you're not." Joel shot her down almost the moment she opened her mouth.

"Oh _come ON!_" Her anger rose to her throat, tainting her words. "You always keep me from being useful. I'm done with it. I think I'm finally allowed to make my own decisions. Or have you forgotten?" she challenged, her icy stare piercing him. Her words hit him like a bullet. He was suddenly reminded of the incident the early morning before all this started. It was a bitter defeat on his end, and he gave in.

"Fine."

"_Thank you_."

* * *

Ellie already had restocked on arrows, and Dylan lent her a few boxes of ammo, seeing how he never got around to shooting things. Ellie was convinced Dylan hated violence. He never outright stated it, but with how little he cared for raid missions or infected runs, his pacifism was undeniable. She re-applied some bandages around her neck and ankle. The infection was a bit nastier on her ankle than her neck, but it didn't seem as bad as the scar on her forearm. Joel insisted on treating it for her, which is an offer she accepted. Immune to cordyceps but not regular infection, Ellie was smart enough to know when her wounds _needed_ treatment.

Ready to go, and armed almost to the teeth, Ellie and Joel escorted Alex out of the town through the North entrance. He was rather reserved, attempting to keep conversation at its bare minimum, but that was an impossible task with Ellie as his traveling companion.

"You were holding something back," she mentioned. Joel had to hold back the urge to silence her with a hand over her mouth.

"_Ellie_," he groaned. "Don't trouble him."

Alex gave her a light laugh, but no answer. Even the laugh seemed empty. He seemed empty. It was killing her. She was thirsty for knowledge of her mysterious savior.

"He's infected." She added, "Your son, that is."

The two men both stiffened at the same time. Joel chewed on his inner cheek, glaring at Ellie. Alex, on the other hand, had a very somber gaze. He sighed, stopping in his tracks.

"Seeing how you can't be satisfied with nothing, I guess I'll have to tell you, huh?" He returned to a fast-paced walk. "He isn't infected."

Ellie tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

"He _was_ infected," continued the younger of the two men. "Now he's dead. He told me he didn't want to turn, so he took my revolver and shoved it in his mouth. I had no time to stop him."

They kept moving, but the trees' branches seemed to stop swaying, and the wind she felt caress her cheeks but a moment ago was all but gone. Ellie was disconnected, her thoughts swirling in a mixture of guilt and confusion. Contrite, the girl refused to speak for a good two minutes. She kept moving forward, the guilt engulfing her and weighing her down till her pace slowed. _I shouldn't have said anything,_ she thought. _Why did I say that? Oh, my God... I'm __**so**__ stupid._ It took her a long while to return to a state solid enough to offer him an apology.

"Sorry," she said lamely.

"... Not your fault. You're young. You're curious." She caught him peering at her from the corner of his eye. "But bring it up again and I may not be so kind."

And with that, the three of them went completely silent.

* * *

The journey rolled into the night, and the dark clouds predictably brought a rainstorm. They would probably have called it a day at that point, but Alex assured them that his home wasn't far off.

After another twenty minutes spent trekking through the pouring rain, the group arrived at what appeared to be a prison facility. Fifteen-foot walls hugged the perimeter of the prison, the ashen stones crumbling at some places but otherwise holding strong for the most part. A group of clickers were bouncing off the wall a few dozen meters away. Behind them, two runners came sprinting after the travelers, alerting the clickers as well. Alexander hurriedly rushed the others past the iron gate that kept out unwanted visitors and infected. He followed after, then slammed it shut behind them and locked it with three different padlocks and an entanglement of chains.

A moment later and the runners were thrashing their grotesque limbs through the bars of the gate, hissing and growling as they struggled to get past the metal entrance. Ellie watched, her skin crawling. The beasts would always terrify her. Joel, on the other hand, turned away, muting the sounds of decomposing maws gnawing on metal. His attention then turned to the massive building before them. It was a cindery color, still secure as there were no visible depressions in the bricks nor any chipping. Unlike most households, this one seemed impregnable. It would be a fine place to settle down - if he ever settled down. Joel tucked the idea of stealing the fortress to the back of his mind for the moment.

"You can go inside," Alexander's voice told them, as he pointed to a short set of steps that led to the building's entrance. "I'll join you in a moment, I have to check for any breaches along the walls."

Ellie nodded, but Joel kept a wary eye on the other male. The both of them went inside, taken aback instantly by the sight of the prison interior.

It was clean, and there were pieces of furniture strewn along the carpeted floors. Crudely-made animal skins replaced rugs and there was even a fireplace in what appeared to be the living room. It was impossibly beautiful. Joel was suddenly reminded of the life he lived before all hell broke loose. He felt like he was actually living in the past again, his home boring and safe from infected, his family safe and...alive. He sighed through his nose, the feeling shooting daggers up his body.

"Woah..." Ellie gawked at the ceiling, which was dotted with lights – a sight neither of them were used to until they began living in Tommy's Town. "This guy has everything! How the fuck did he get all of this?"

"I don't know," Joel answered, just as dumbfounded. "It looks like nothing even remotely infected entered this place." The thought of Alexander now living alone in this house, no longer accompanied by his son, brought back a familiar sinking feeling to Joel.

Behind them the door opened, and a soaking Alex entered. He was uninjured – a good sign.

"We're good," he told them, fingering through his wet mop of hair. "Nothing got in." He glanced at a brass wrist watch on his right hand. "Unfortunately for you two, it seems a bit late to be going back." He stole a glance at the both of them.

"We can handle ourselves," Joel told him.

"Nonsense. You're welcome to spend the night. You helped me, so now I'll help you."

Ellie wanted to mention that he already repaid his debt when he saved her life, but she kept quiet after Joel discouraged her with a soft jab to her side.

Joel nodded, then kicked off his muddy boots, and Ellie followed suit, her eyes watching Alexander as he headed up a stairwell perpendicular to the entryway.

"Do you trust him?" she asked in a whisper, hoping Alex was far enough away not to hear them. Joel's only response was a shake of his head.

"You learn to never trust a soul when you've been doing this for as long as I have," he replied.

"Surviving?"

"And enduring."

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Why don't you go lay down?" He pointed to the the living room where a large, red loveseat sat. It looked pleasantly soft, and it sang her name. She nodded, her fatigue hitting her like a cannonball.

Joel decided to explore the first level, finding a few offices that then led to a hallway scattered with cells. He thought of what the prisoners did when the infection spread. Did they try to break out? Were they released into the public? Did this place gradually rot away as more and more infected killed the officers and prisoners?

The thought sent a chill up his spine. _What a horrible way to die. Caged like an animal as you feel your sanity slowly slip away._

Joel quickly left the area, soon finding a small room littered with books on the floor. Across its walls were a myriad of old and new shelves housing literature of all types – magazines, novels, comics, encyclopedias. It was stocked well, even if the stock was a little tattered. Perhaps Alex would allow Ellie a few books before they left.

One other area caught his eye: a kitchen. It had a large number of appliances, and there were metal racks holding perishable and non-perishable foods. This sight perplexed Joel. Alex clearly had enough food to last him weeks, months even. Why did he lie earlier about running out? Joel pinned the thought for later.

After exiting the kitchen, he found he was finished with his tour, and then returned to the living room to sit beside Ellie on the couch. Even though she wasn't short, she only took up two-thirds of the sofa, leaving him enough room to rest for a moment.

He heard footsteps above him, which grew louder as Alex came back down the stairs. In his arms were some ammo.

"I noticed you have El Diablo as well."

Joel's hand went for his holster, where he felt the gun in question. "Yeah?"

"It's a great weapon. I managed to grab a few crates of ammo for it not too long back." He handed the other a few boxes of ammo. "Here, take it. I have enough to last me years."

Joel's lips thinned to a straight line as he took the gift. It was strange that Alex was being so generous. Generosity often led to death in this hellish world they now lived in. Joel put the ammo in his bag, reluctant to thank the stranger.

Alex sat on the floor, running his calloused hands over his face. Joel was well-aware of the emotions plaguing the other's mind. He'd been there before. Alex bore the face of a man who had lost too much.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" he asked, letting his hands fall to his lap.

"I think I will." Joel stood, stretching his arms across his chest. "If it's all right with you, I'll be sleeping down here with her."

Alexander nodded. "Go ahead. If you need me I'll be upstairs in the last room on the right." And with that, he rose to his feet. "Rest well."

"Same to you."

Joel was taking his jacket off when Ellie's voice piped up suddenly.

"Is he gone?"

He peered over at the stairwell. Alex was already upstairs. "Yes," he said.

Ellie sat up, and pulled something from her shirt sleeve. "Here," she handed it to him. "I don't know what Zoloft is, but there are dozens of those things under the couch."

Joel examined the bottle in his hand. It was empty. The date for the medication expired twenty-five years ago, and it was prescribed to an Emily Walton. "Antidepressants."

"Anti-whats?"

"They make the pain go away if you're always down." He looked up at her. "He's depressed, Ellie."

She fidgeted under his gaze. "No wonder. His son just died."

Joel shook his head. "By the looks of it, he's had these longer than his son was even alive."

"What does that mean?"

With a shrug, he set the bottle down. "I'm not sure what it means. Just go to sleep."

She complied, setting her head down on the couch's arm.

Joel found a spot near the fireplace to lay down. Studying the flames' flickering, Joel's troubled mind kept him from sleeping. Alex was definitely keeping a few secrets from the both of them. Whether or not these secrets will harm them Joel didn't know. However, he did know that Alex may not be as kind as they think.

"I'm freaked out," Ellie mentioned suddenly.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Joel wondered if "freaked out" was even a real phrase.

"How the hell do I sleep? This guy is so fucking weird. He's quiet and scary and I think he's going to do something."

He remained quiet. The fear she mentioned wasn't new to him. Alex rubbed him the wrong way.

"Just try to go to sleep. I'll stay up tonight if it makes you feel better."

Ellie rubbed her eyes, moving to the floor and shuffling on her knees up to Joel. "No," she said quietly. "I'll stay up with you."

Joel would've tried to dispute her decision, but instead accepted the offer of company.


End file.
